“Honey Let Me Sing You a Song” -Matt Hires.
I got it off the Paste #48 sampler. But you could get it off my latest mix. Depending on what you want to trade me for it. Make me an offer, you might get lucky.
Honey let me sing you a song
and listen to my words as they come out wrong
but don’t run away, run away this time
Honey let me look in your eyes
you open them one at a time
but don’t look away, look away this time
Not a big month for buying music. Odd.
Absolutely Love & Adore:
Keane “Perfect Symmetry” – Wow I LOVE this album. Did not expect to. Almost didn’t buy it! It’s a new sound for them, not as sad, and not as poppy…a bit more “anthem rock” than they used to be. You can picture these songs just filling up stadiums. Like old Snow Patrol, before they got super cheesy. Fave songs: “The Lovers Are Losing”; “Better Than This” (totally reminds me of Roxy Music “More Than This”); “Pretend that You’re Alone”; “Time to Go”.
Favorite Singles (not on any of the above albums):
Other Albums I Liked:
Not really for me / but maybe for you!:
Nada.
Shamefully have either not listened to at all, or not all the way through, or so few times that I can’t legitimately offer an opinion:
Nada!
It’s amazing, it’s amazing.
All that you can do.
It’s amazing, makes my heart sing,
Now it’s up to you.
…
And I know, ’cause I’ve been there before
Knocking down the doors
Won’t take no for an answer
And you’ll see, ’cause if it’s meant to be
Nothing can compare to deserving your dreams
It’s amazing, it’s amazing
All that you can do
It’s amazing, makes my heart sing
Now it’s up to you…
—Jem “It’s Amazing” (from new album Down to Earth*)
Is it just something about the word “amaze”?? Because My Morning Jacket “I’m Amazed” is also an awesome song. (And then there’s Jem’s cover of what I believe is a Paul McCartney song “Maybe I’m Amazed.” Also: Awesome.)
*In addition to this song in particular, I really like this entire album. Although musically a lot of it sounds more like a remix album. Not her normal backdrop. But good. Nice contrast with the vocals.
Is this what you meant?
Is this what you dreamed of?
When you were making your plans
Shaking the dirt off?
…
You can tell yourself
You’re doing your best
You could do so much
Better than this.
You could do so much
Better than this…
-“Better than This”
Maybe it’s time to go.
Maybe it’s time we went.
You’re making a spectacle
Maybe it’s time we left.
I don’t wanna spoil your night.
I don’t wanna hurt your pride.
But maybe it’s time to go.
Maybe it’s time…
-“Time to Go”
Both from their (relatively) new album Perfect Symmetry. I am diggin’ it big time this week. Thx to the Eggplant for having it in her “listening” column for so long I finally remembered to check it out.
“I’m Not Over” Carolina Liar
(Thx, Sil.)
We/Or/Me – Didn’t like these guys. Too slow and depressing and totally slit your wrists to music. Whoops, did I say that out loud? Musically I’m sure they were fine. It was just way too mellow for me at that moment. We retired to the outer bar and the photobooth to pep ourselves back up.
Mumford & Sons – If you’ve been reading, then you must already know I absolutely LOVED these guys. Lead has a very distinctive voice, band sports unusual instruments, lots of harmonies and earnestness. They put on a great show, I am completely obsessed with a few of their only five tunes I’ve been able to get recordings of so far (this one), and I would highly recommend them should they stop by your town.
Laura Marling – She has an interesting voice but I wasn’t really feelin’ it.
Johnny Flynn and the Sussex Wit – Liked these guys. Certainly the most “rock” folk of the evening and a slightly more polished set than the others (not that polish is always a good thing, but they stood out as seemingly a more experienced touring band). But almost more entertaining than the music was watching members of the previous bands dancing in the audience. Clearly they are all having a great time touring together.
So Monolith has become (by far) my favorite music festival, after several years going to both Lollapalooza and Pitchfork. Since it takes place in a place actually intended for music, rather than a random field, it has a) real bathrooms and b) built-in SEATING for the main stage (yes, seating, can you believe it) and c) NO DIRT and those are just three of the many reasons it was more pleasant.
Also instead of getting up early and staying out late and going to see 900 bands a day, we were big time lazybones, didn’t show up until post noon, heard a few bands, and then went home to hot tubs and good beer and pizza and Wii and board games and puppy kisses and time with friends. Ah. Sweet.
Friday (9/13):
Cut Copy – Yay! So upbeat and fun. These guys got the crowd moving, crazy dancing times. People were INTO it, big time, and it was super early.
The Fratellis – Surprisingly, even though I think they are just as good as Cut Copy (and have more material), the crowd didn’t seem engaged. They still sounded good, to me, but something was missing between them and the audience.
Vampire Weekend – Really, I am not a fan of this band. I guess I just don’t get why people listen to their pale imitation rather than say the actual African bands they are mimicking and/or stealing from depending on your point of view. One of my frequent partners in concertgoing crime in Chicago is an Anthro PhD who has spent beaucoup de temps in Africa and this is a HUGE pet peeve for her. Anyway, I am not a real fan, not planning to buy their album…. but they DID put on a pretty good show. Good stage banter, crowd was into it. It was a pleasant hour of the afternoon….
[And then we went home! See, I told you, totally lazy “we’ll see a few bands and then we’ll relax”! It was awesome!]
Saturday (9/14):
The Avett Brothers – Yay yay yay!!! I couldn’t wait to see these guys, they were one of my main reasons for wanting to go. And did they ever bring it. So much energy on stage, just pouring everything they have into it. Sounded great. I even stood up and danced! Can you believe it! *
The Kills – They were late going onstage and it seemed like maybe it was a sound or wiring issue or something? The band seemed annoyed / made comments to the crowd about us being nicer than the people who worked there or something? But they still sounded great. Not as upbeat as their set at Lollapalooza, but really rocking out. I dug it.
Band of Horses – Wowza. This was a completely magical set. They came onstage right as darkness really settled in and the stage lights went purple and the music was spooky and ethereal and lilting through the crowd and I almost started crying just over the beauty of it all. Lovely.
[And then we went home!]
*Oh, you have not seen me at concerts? Yeah, I dance more in my own apartment than ever at a concert. At concerts I am very intent. On the listening part. I might move my knees. Generally that is it. See, I am shorter than everyone and oftentimes I find I have to really concentrate to be able to hear over the annoying people talking who are all taller than me and thus their mouths are right above my ears and they are inhibiting the my being able to hear the music part of the concert which is generally the whole reason I went.
I didn’t buy much. But most of what I bought, I really really liked.
Absolutely Love & Adore:
Shwayze (self-titled) – Ridiculous lyrics. Total b-o-u-n-c-e BOUNCE. Super fun. Perfect end of summer music.
The Billionaires “Really Real for Forever” – Also bouncy! Yay! “Are you still sad? Let’s go out and get fucked up!!” Mixed male/female vocals (you know how I love that! Or you should). Really addictive.
The Wave Pictures “Instant Coffee Baby” – Wow, you get a serious Violent Femmes flashback as this album begins (“Add It Up”, “Blister in the Sun” era-Femmes…). That fades a little as it goes on but theirs is definitely a throwback sound. Great to listen to right after The Billionaires, I’ve had these two on back to back for weeks. Michelle talks more about them over here.
Mumford & Sons “Chess Club Release” – Not actually an album, per se, but you can download them all together. Part of the new English Folk thing going on now. Very distinctive lead voice. Very unusual instrumentation. Very awesome live. Great lyrics. I really can’t wait for them to release more stuff!
Everlast “Love, War, and the Ghost of Whitey Ford” – LOVE his deep deep voice. Love the “Folsom Prison Blues” cover. Love love love.
Favorite Singles (not on any of the above albums):
Other Albums I Liked:
Not really for me / but maybe for you!:
Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson “Rattlin’ Bones” – I really really dig both these singers on their solo “sorta country, but sorta more folky acoustic pop” albums. [And I really like their live shows as well.] But this combined album just slides too far into country for me and I kinda cringe when it comes up on shuffle. However, I do really like the song “Wildflower” and on those days when I’m in the mood for twang I may find myself listening to this more than I expect. But not right now.
Shamefully have either not listened to at all, or not all the way through, or so few times that I can’t legitimately offer an opinion:
Nada!
Eating: Food I cooked myself, can you believe it? It’s been many, many months since I last spent time in the kitchen. In other fun news, my carbon monoxide alarm now goes off every time I use the oven.
Making: Haven’t made a stitch of progress in anything. But I am going to KIP tonight so that should be good for a couple rounds on a sock.
Reading: Our November challenge book, “The Oxford Book of Short Stories” edited by V.S. Pritchett. I am only a few stories in so still in the “way back” part of the collection. I’ve read it (somewhere?) before and I really, really hate Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Birthmark.” HATE. But the other stories have been good.
Watching: Old, but from this season, episodes of House on Hulu and remembering exactly why I’m not watching this show at home either in real time or on TIVO anymore. It’s WAY beyond time for a new formula.
Listening to: Everlast. Joseph Arthur. Ray LaMontagne. The Avett Brothers. The Billionaires. The Wave Pictures. Mumford and Sons. Sam Phillips. Just kinda wandering around my iPod.
Once a million years ago (late 80s/early 90s), I got this Rolling Stone mix tape, one selection of which was “Where the Colors Don’t Go” by Sam Phillips, a song I have listened to off and on ever since. Then Ladder 49 came out with both a great Joaquin performance AND “How to Dream” another great Sam Phillips song. And somewhere along the way I heard “I Need Love“, which is just a GREAT song.
You’re a secret I whisper to myself
That’s all I knew going in. She’s a real show”man”, so to speak. Very late-night bar/cabaret feel. Unusual instrumentation, very focused. Similar to going to a Joe Henry or Joan Baez concert. And speaking of Joe Henry, I am 99% sure that Jay Bellerose, who blew my mind at the Joe Henry concert, was also the drummer for Sam Phillips. Wow.
If you are buying me a birthday present next year: percussion lessons with Jay Bellerose please! Thanks! 🙂
Broken like a window, I see my blindness now
And I need love, not some sentimental prison
I need God, not the political church
I need fire to melt the frozen sea inside me
I need love